


Reconciliation

by Miri1984



Series: The Heart of Aphrodite 2021 [2]
Category: Rusty Quill Gaming (Podcast)
Genre: Gen, Quarantine, theheartofaphrodite2021
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-08
Updated: 2021-02-08
Packaged: 2021-03-14 11:42:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 746
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29295348
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Miri1984/pseuds/Miri1984
Summary: Azu is good at people, but some people are more difficult than others.
Relationships: Azu & Oscar Wilde (Rusty Quill Gaming)
Series: The Heart of Aphrodite 2021 [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2149449
Comments: 7
Kudos: 34
Collections: The Heart of Aphrodite





	Reconciliation

If Azu had hair, she would tear it out in frustration. When it gets down to it she’s only known Hamid a few weeks, only known Zolf for far less than that, and if she does the maths (it hurts to try, for so many reasons) the amount of time these people have spent as the centre of her life is such a tiny proportion that it goes against all logic for them to have had so  _ much  _ impact.

She can’t remember, any longer, what it was like to  _ not  _ know Hamid, not feel his small hand in hers, not know with warmth and certainty that he has her back. 

_ Right now, as well, she can’t remember what it was like not to carry the tight knot of grief and guilt in her chest for Sasha and Grizzop, for her quiet competence and his bright faith. _

But Hamid and Zolf are  _ tense  _ and Hamid and Zolf don’t seem to be friends, the way she’d always thought they were from how Hamid spoke about him. 

She wants to mush their faces together and get them to speak, but she doesn’t know how, and being cooped up in the inn with too many kobolds, an alchemist who swings wildly from mood to mood the same way they swing wildly from idea to idea and an Oscar Wilde that resembles the man she’d known briefly in Damascus almost not at all is not helping.

Still. Wilde at least is familiar, in ways that Zolf is not, in ways that Cel is not, and Wilde, at least, knew Hamid and Zolf  _ before. _

She finds herself at the bar one night, contemplating a glass of sake and wishing it was moonshine. Hamid is deep in conversation with Skraak - and isn’t  _ that _ a relationship that Azu doesn’t know how to approach, let alone understand, and Cel is busy trying to create the device that will help them talk to Shoin. She’s never been one to seek out solitude, but the week is dragging out, and there are people everywhere, all the time, and she feels a little like screaming.

She wonders where Zolf is, and whether it would be worth talking to him again.

“Traditionally one imbibes drinks, eventually,” she hears Wilde’s tired voice behind her. “Staring at them does not induce the same pleasantly mind numbing effects.”   
She smiles at him, a little sadly. “How are you, Wilde?”

“Now I was going to ask  _ you  _ that, and instead wasted precious time being witty and interesting. You’d think I would have learned better by now.”

“No, it’s nice, actually,” she says, then sighs. “Everything is so different now. We could… use some familiar, I suppose.”

“You’re not wrong,” Wilde says, and takes the bottle to pour himself a cup, leaning casually on the counter. 

They stay like that, in pleasant silence for a while. She would never have anticipated, on their first meeting, calling this man a friend, but perhaps that is what they are now. Perhaps she doesn’t have much luxury of choice, but she is grateful for his presence all the same.

“Zolf is still sulking,” Wilde says, finally. 

“He and Hamid had some words,” Azu says. “Were they always like this? Hamid seemed to think he and Zolf were friends but…”

“Oh they’re friends,” Wilde chuckles.

“But they are so…”

Wilde pats her hand. “Yes. They are. From utterly different parts of the world, and quite unable to meet in the middle without shouting about it. Absolutely fascinating to watch.”

“Really?”

Wilde shrugs. “We’ve been hurting for entertainment, here at the end of the world.”   
Azu sucks in a breath that’s almost a gasp. “I don’t think either of them would like being considered entertainment!”

Wilde takes a sip of sake, seemingly unconcerned. “You’re not wrong. But they’ll work it out, especially with you around to help.”

Azu blinks. “Is that… are you…?”

Wilde’s smile fades and he looks at her, more serious again, echoes of his tiredness in Damascus behind his eyes, that scar, deep and striking, cutting through the face she knew. “We need to work together to stop this thing, Azu,” he says. “I can only do so much, especially when it comes to Hamid. And, much as it pains me to admit it, you’re better at this than I am.”

“Better at what?”

“Bringing people together,” he says, and smiles, and she sips at her sake, and she nods.

She thinks he may be right.


End file.
